According to an internal memo obtained by MacRumors, all first-generation Apple Watch models released in 2015, including the $17,000 Apple Watch Edition in 18-karat gold, hit Apple’s obsolete products list on September 30th.
Joe Rossignol for MacRumors:
The list of obsolete models includes the first-generation Apple Watch Edition with an 18-karat gold casing, which cost up to $17,000 in the U.S. when it was available. The solid-gold Apple Watch was discontinued in 2016 and replaced with a ceramic Apple Watch Edition, which was a more affordable luxury at up to $1,299. On the software side, watchOS 5 dropped compatibility with the solid-gold Apple Watch in 2018.
All other 38mm and 42mm aluminum and stainless steel versions of the original Apple Watch, including Hermès variants, are also now classified as obsolete.
MacDailyNews Take: One man’s obsolete is another’s auction bonanza.
It’s worth much more shrink-wrapped in-the-box than worn or melted down, that’s for sure.
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Without a doubt (in my opinion), those 18k gold Apple Watches were the most luxurious they ever made.
There are people who would still be willing to pay for the elegance of those watches.
now with the “obsolete” tech in them.
In 10 or 20 years we’ll hear about these things selling new-in-box for half a million dollars at auction.
Guess since the Number One radio announcer in history and No. 1 Apple promoter in the media no longer able to purchase, no wonder discontinued.
Or was it the WOKE CANCEL CULTURE Leftists?
Sure Apple made a handsome profit and see nothing wrong to continue as a made to order specialty item paid in advance…
Do you realize how tired and laughable your predictable blowhard diatribe is? Always trying to interject your rear view mirror infantile world views into an Apple discussion. Have you no shame? Spare us.
Father Coughlin? Good riddance.
Eff him, eff your political BS, and eff Apple for selling planned obsolescence at extreme prices.
As usual, Leftist insults you got NOTHING…
So, instead of asking why premium gold watch was discontinued, you are more interested in deflecting and personal attacks — I get that and couldn’t care less. With specificity, what did I say wrong, hmmm?
First part of my post was speculation mixed with fact Rush Limbaugh bought Gold Apple Watch excited like a kid and bragged about it on his radio show while you were watching CNN or was it listening to NPR.
The last part I don’t see why Apple cannot continue making a premium gold watch for premium customers on SPECIAL ORDER status. I have been hearing ad nauseum since the 1980s Apple makes premium products for premium customers. So why not?
Oh, wait…that’s right, the militant green activists dominate Apple now. In the last iPhone presentation INCESSANTLY preaching carbon neutral. Must be the answer to dirty white hayseed hicks mining and hunting with guns in the hills. HA!…
Are you daft Goeb? Your prior post centered on politics in its first 2 sentences. How can you be so unaware how annoying you are? If you want to brag about an overpriced gold bauble that is obsolete, go right ahead. But leave out the snide commentary and politics and continued hate. You’ve trashed every reasonable conversation that anyone has tried to have on these forums. Enough is enough.
Also, before you snap back with more political attacks: One doesn’t have to be liberal in any sense of the word to be sick of your attitude.
Hey genius, my first sentence was a snarky joke, so what snowflake. Political, well I guess to the Leftists that read politics into every word 24/7.
“WOKE CANCEL CULTURE Leftists,” since when a political party? Guess I missed it.
“If you want to brag about an overpriced gold bauble that is obsolete, go right ahead. ” Are you daft? Your reading comprehension PROBLEM aside, I was referring to, and rightly so, Rush bragging about it. Since when is a gold watch “obsolete?” Know companies that give them out at retirements for deserving individuals. But now, NOT Apple Watches.
Again, you have a reading problem and extrapolate what is not there. No hate intended, maybe in a snarky way I focus on REALITY, something that completely escapes the Left, and Cooked turning Apple political DESERVES EVERY WORD.
“You’ve trashed every reasonable conversation that anyone has tried to have on these forums.” Guess you were asleep when your grammar teacher taught you, NEVER use absolutes. I don’t have time to read every MDN post and comments, not even close, so you LIE again.
Let me guess hypocrite, you have no problem with snide snarky liberal posts from Leftists around here, deny it. Yes, enough is enough of the one world Leftist view…
I’d still buy it.
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It still tells time, doesn’t it?
Good luck replacing the battery.
Many people still purchase elegant gold watches for upwards of $100,000 – which just give the time.
Three concepts:
1) Ultra expensive watches are usually handmade with very exclusive materials. The Apple Watch in any finish does not compete here.
2) Ultra expensive watches are made in very small quantities, so rarity makes them very special, in some cases one of a kind. The Apple Watch cannot claim this.
3) Ultra expensive watches are almost always designed to operate and/or be repairable for not one lifetime, but several lifetimes as an heirloom piece. Apple just declared its golden bauble obsolete, and will offer no support for it.
The gold Apple Watch will never be a highly collectable item except perhaps by a few cult members.